


Can You Draw Cats?

by Flightless_Bird



Category: Free!
Genre: First Meeting, Haru likes drawing, Makoto is a Sweetheart, little!Makoto and little!Haru, makoharu if you squint - Freeform, pretty short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 06:08:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7422997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flightless_Bird/pseuds/Flightless_Bird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before school starts up, Makoto wants to make a friend. He finds one in a little boy sketching in a notebook by himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can You Draw Cats?

**Author's Note:**

> This is really short and written kinda fast, but what can I say, I love these two. This is obviously pre-relationship, because I fully picture them getting together in the future ;) I hope you enjoy it!

At his very first picnic, ever, Makoto made a solemn vow to make a friend.

It wasn't every day that his family did this; actually went outside, with steaming food, and invited people over for the day. Makoto actually couldn't remember a time when this had happened. But then again, he was fairly young and this probably was the first time he'd been in the family to see this happen. All he knew was that school would be coming up soon and he didn't want to show up alone. He needed a friend.

So, he set out to find one. Tottering across the sunlit grass in his green-and-white sneakers, with the too-big tee his father had let him wear, and a Popsicle in his hands. He sucked happily on the blueberry-flavored treat as he gazed around at all the tall trees. They were so big! And so high! His family had picked a really nice place to picnic at, with such towering trees that wound their branches around each other like old friends. He craned his neck back to look at them in awe, still walking and still eating his Popsicle. 

He was brought to a halt by his toes knocking into something soft and a tiny sound of indignation.  
Makoto looked to see what he'd run into, fingers curled around the Popsicle stick to keep from dropping it. Lovely blue eyes blinked up at him, bluer than blue, and half-closed in lingering annoyance. A little boy sat in front of him, a notebook in his lap. He wore a pale turquoise hoodie with the strings at just the right length. Raven hair made a great contrast with his skin and those eyes. 

Makoto's face felt like it was heating up. 

"Sorry!" he squeaked. He hoped his tongue wasn't blue from his Popsicle. "I didn't see you."

The boy made a soft sound of indifference and went back to his drawing. His fingers sketched out the rough lines of a leaf, like the ones littering the ground around him. Makoto peered over his shoulder for a bit. He was really good!

"You're great at drawing," he told the boy cheerily. 

"Mmhm," came the hummed answer.

"I wish I could draw like that." Makoto tried for a friendly smile. "I'm Makoto! What's your name?" He waited. The silence stretched out between them, broken only by quiet breezes and the scratch of the boy's pencil. Makoto's heart fell a little. 

"That's okay, you can tell me later," he decided. "I'm gonna go to Iwatobi when school starts up."

No answer.

"They have a swim club. It'll be fun. ...what about you?"

Again, no answer. The round blue eyes stayed fixed on the notebook paper. 

Makoto's Popsicle was starting to melt. He licked a drop from his finger, then looked down at the boy again. He really must've liked drawing. Makoto frowned, some of his cheer fading away. "Guess you don't like talking," he mumbled. "But that's okay. Um." His eyes lowered down to his shoes, darker green with sadness. "I—I'll stop bothering you now." He shuffled a step back and started to walk away with his droopy Popsicle.

"Haru."

Pausing, Makoto glanced over at the boy. He was looking up at him again, the wind tugging dark hair across his face. "My name's Haru," he repeated softly.

Makoto stared at him. Then he broke into a wide smile, cheeks hinting at pink and eyes crinkling. "M—my name's Makoto!" he answered enthusiastically. He scampered over to Haru and plunked down to sit beside him. "B—but I guess I already told you that..."

Haru's head bobbed in a half-nod. "You did."

Makoto's heart warmed. Encouraged, he scooted closer to Haru and watched him draw over his shoulder again. "Wow, I don't know anyone who can draw like you! How'd you learn to do that?"

"I dunno."

"Well, it's really really cool. Can you draw cats?"

"Mmhm."

"I like cats. ....what else d'you do?"

"...I'm gonna learn how to swim next summer."

"Wow!" Makoto beamed at him. "I'm gonna learn to swim then, too! We can learn together, Haru-chan!"

Haru's head lifted up at that, gaze fixed on him for a long moment. The wind tugged the sandy-brown hair over Makoto's face and pulled at the sleeves of his big T-shirt. Makoto squirmed a tiny bit under Haru's intense gaze. Then a very small curve appeared to Haru's lips. "Okay."

Makoto blinked. "Okay....we can learn together?"

"Yeah."

"Yay! It's gonna be great!" 

There was no reply after that, but Makoto didn't mind. He liked just sitting here anyway. It felt nice. He sucked on his Popsicle again as he watched Haru draw, the sunlight playing over both of them and tossing their shadows out onto the ground. 

He couldn't wait for next summer.


End file.
